Dragon Mage: A Sequel to Dragon Magic

Shy realizes that she is lucky to be taken in by her grandparents after her father dies-but life above an antique store in Slade's Corners, Wisconsin is not exactly the place a teenage girl wants to be.

One day while going through boxes of her father's boyhood stuff, she comes upon a rare old set of dragon puzzles … all of which are missing pieces. Her

Overview

Shy realizes that she is lucky to be taken in by her grandparents after her father dies-but life above an antique store in Slade's Corners, Wisconsin is not exactly the place a teenage girl wants to be.

One day while going through boxes of her father's boyhood stuff, she comes upon a rare old set of dragon puzzles … all of which are missing pieces. Her grandmother recalls the fantastic tales Shy's father would tell about his travels to lands of dragons and adventure. She always thought that these fantasies were inspired by the puzzles Shy has found.

Shy realizes that by mixing and matching the different sets she can complete a single dragon puzzle that combines all of the others. Upon doing so she is whisked away to ancient Babylon where she must continue the duties of her father's legacy as a servant to the dragon and a savior of the world.

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Based on a concept discussed between Norton and Rabe before Norton's death in 2005, this long-delayed sequel honors the classic elements of Norton's 1972 young adult fantasy Dragon Magicwhile taking on a decidedly modern air. Shilo's ordinary teenage life has been shaken up by her father's death. Now living with her grandparents in the backwoods of Wisconsin, Shilo rummages in the attic one night and finds a wooden picture puzzle with four dragons on the cover that belonged to her father. When she completes the puzzle, Shilo finds herself transported to ancient Babylon, where a dragon entreats her to help save its eggs and keep the earth from being overrun by demons. Rabe (The Finest Creation)has built on Norton's estimable groundwork to produce an action-packed, satisfying young adult story that will be very accessible to modern teens as well as now-grown fans of the original Magic books. (Jan.)

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Children's Literature - Melyssa Malinowski

Wisconsin is Hades. At least that is what fifteen-year-old Shilo thinks. She has been there for three whole weeks and knows that she is right. Since the sudden death of her father, Shilo has been taken in by her grandparents and now lives with them over their antique store. Everything is horrible and boring until she hears a voice. It calls for help, pleading for "Sigurd Clawhand," a person that Shilo has never heard of before. She follows the voice to her grandparents' attic and discovers a chest of her father's belongings. In the chest she finds a puzzle that, her grandmother explains, her father used to "travel through time, meeting dragons, and having adventures with mythical figures" with his friends. She even tells Shilo that those adventures gave her father, Sigmund, the name Sigurd Clawhand. Shilo is incredulous, but after toying with the puzzle she finds herself transported back in time to ancient Babylon. She is befriended by a sun priest named Nindintulugal, Nindin for short, and seeks out the voice, that of the dragon Ulbanu, who has called across time for Shilo's help. With the help of Nindin and two strangers, Shilo must "save dragonkind and perhaps mankind." She must rescue Ulbanu's eggs so the baby dragons cannot be used in a plot to start a terrible war, unleashing innumerable demons on the world. Can Shilo and her friends do it? Can she save everyone and find her way home? Upper middle school and high school aged children will be captivated by the story of Dragon Mage, whether they like regular fiction, historical fiction, or fantasy. Shilo is an energetic, courageous, resourceful, and amazing female protagonist, with wonderful supporting male characters.Reviewer: Melyssa Malinowski

Library Journal

Stuck in Slade's Corners, WI, with her grandparents after her father's death, Shiloh finds life above an antique store less than fascinating-until she discovers a set of dragon puzzles that belonged to her father. Working with the puzzles leads Shiloh to the sound of voices in her head and transports her back in time to ancient Babylon, where she is expected to take over her father's position as servant to an ancient dragon and, perhaps, the one to save her world. This collaboration between the late sf and fantasy Grandmaster Norton and prolific fantasy author Rabe (the "Finest" trilogy) touches upon aspects of Norton's popular Dragon Magicwhile telling a unique story about a young girl's unusual coming of age. A good choice for most adult and YA fantasy collections.

Jackie Cassada

School Library Journal

Gr 6-8

In this sequel to Dragon Magic (Tor, 2006), Shilo's father has died and now she is stuck in Wisconsin with her grandparents. In going through some of her father's childhood toys, she discovers a puzzle with four dragons on it. As she puts it together, a dragon that doesn't appear on the cover of the box is formed. Suddenly Shilo is pulled back through time to ancient Babylon where she must figure out how to survive long enough to return home. Called by the dragon, she learns how she can help to rescue not only the dragon's eggs but also her own world from being overtaken by demons. It will take bravery, friendship, and stealth to succeed. Ancient Babylon is vividly described with small details bringing the world to life. The characterizations are rich and varied as well. This book's concept was created by both Norton and Rabe just before Norton's death in 2005. Readers familiar with the earlier books in the series will enjoy the connections here, but readers new to the series may not be as intrigued.-Tasha Saecker, Menasha Public Library, WI